18/09/2025
Dogs don’t often tell us they hurt in obvious ways. Instead, pain shows up in quiet shifts. It may be how they stand, move, rest, or interact with us or other dogs. If you’re noticing small changes and feeling unsure, you’re not being “over-cautious” you’re being a caring guardian who knows their dog. 💜
Below are common subtle signs, what they can look like at home, and gentle ways to observe them.
1) Posture looks “different”
What you might notice: a tucked tail, rounded or hunched back, head carried lower than normal, a stiff stance, or your dog tucking their front or hind limbs under themselves more than usual.
Why it matters: posture adjustments can be pain avoiding strategies — shifting muscles and joints to protect a sore area, or take the weight off a limb. Guidelines emphasise that careful observation of body posture is a key part of pain assessment. AAHA, 2022.
How to observe carefully. Take a short video when your dog is relaxed vs. when they first stand up. Repeat this over a few days to compare each day, rather than judging one moment.
2) Stiffness on getting up (especially after rest)
What you might notice: slow or transitions that take a lot of effort, such as lying down into a sit or stand, or sit to stand, a few short shuffling steps, or a brief bunny-hop with both hind limbs as they set off.
Why it matters: early-movement stiffness is a classic pain clue in chronic conditions like arthritis. Validated clinical tools include mobility within their pain scoring because movement changes are so telling. wsava.org 2022.
Gentle tip: note down the time it takes to loosen up on a notepad or on your phone. If it’s steadily getting longer, that’s valuable information for your vet.
AAHA Guidelines 2022
3) Reluctance to jump or climb
What you might notice: a slight hesitation before jumping onto the sofa or into the car, repeated “false starts,” circling to find a different angle, or choosing ramps/low routes they previously ignored.
Why it matters: dogs often avoid specific movements that compresses, extends, twist or puts additional weight on a painful area (hips, elbows, shoulders, back, neck). Pain guidelines recommend watching for task-specific avoidance as an early indicator.
AAHA Guidelines 2022
Check the environment too: I regularly mention slippery floors, for some senior dogs poor lighting, or an object in the way can also cause hesitation — but a consistent change in what you see across settings points more toward pain than context.
4) Licking or chewing one spot
What you might notice: focused attention to a paw, joint, fore limb or tail base; sometimes the fur looks damp, stained, or thinned.
Why it matters: persistent, targeted licking can signal local discomfort in that area, of the skin, joint, nail/footpad) or even nerve-related sensations. It may also be due to pain in an area they can't reach. Repetitive grooming or attention to a body part as a pain flag.
Note: itch (allergies/skin) can look similar — your vet can help tease this apart. If you’re unsure, a brief video of the behaviour is extremely helpful for your vet to diagnose what is wrong.
5) Weight-shifting or “standing differently”
What you might notice: off-loading one limb, fore limbs placed wider than usual, hindfeet tucked under, or frequent re-positioning when standing. On the move, you might see a shorter stride, a subtle head-bob, or a hip hike.
Why it matters: these are quiet ways dogs reduce load on a painful area. Behaviour-based canine pain scales include stance and movement because they reliably change when pain is present.
Top tip: film 10 seconds of your dog standing side-on, front-on and from the rear each week; put the clips side by side to spot trends you might miss day-to-day.
6) Face looks tighter or “not their usual self”
What you might notice: squinted eyes, a furrowed brow and a tense muzzle, ears held differently, or panting when it’s not hot or stressful, sometimes at a specific time of day.
Why it matters: across species, researchers use “grimace” features (subtle facial changes) as pain indicators. Facial expression is increasingly considered alongside behaviour in modern pain assessments.
The development and use of facial grimace scales for pain measurement in animals, 2020
How to observe carefully: compare today’s face to old photos/videos of your dog at rest. You’re the expert on their normal, this can really help you spot the changes that are hard to spot day to day.
What to do if you notice these changes:
Write it down - keep a brief diary and take short videos. Patterns help your vet far more than a single snapshot. It can be difficult as your dog's guardian to sometimes to explain to your vet what you are seeing. It is all about teamwork!
Don't be afraid to trust your instincts. You know your dog best; small, persistent changes are always worth a vet conversation.
Remember that behaviour is also communication — and pain is often the message.
References & further reading
AAHA 2022 Pain Management Guidelines — practical, owner-inclusive advice on recognising subtle behavioural signs.
AAHA
WSAVA Global Guidelines (2022 update) — core fundamentals for recognising and assessing pain in dogs and cats.
Wiley Online Library
Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF) — validated behaviour-based tool for acute pain in dogs; includes mobility/stance elements.
wsava.org
The development and use of facial grimace scales for pain measurement in animals. Jeffrey S. Mogil, Daniel S.J. Pang, Gabrielle Guanaes Silva Dutra, Christine T. Chambers, 2020
